MTI Leadership Group
August 23, 2005
Meeting Notes
Attendance:
Joan Anderson - Lancaster County Medical Society
Beatty Brasch - Center for People in Need
Pat Carlson - CenterStar Marketing Group
Rick Carter - Human Services Federation
Cecelia Creighton - People’s Health Center
Ra Drake - NHHS – Office of Minority Health
Helen Fagan - BryanLGH Medical Center
Kevin Flores - Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center
Jen Hernandez - Nebraska Appleseed
Susan Kash-Brown - Southeast Community College
Malcom Miles - Region V Systems
John Nason - Community Mental Health Center
Cordelia Okoye - Lincoln/Lancaster County Health Department
Suzy Prenger - Planned Parenthood
Kit Boesch - Human Services Administrator
Lori Seibel - Community Health Endowment
- McDowell - Community Health Endowment
Welcome & Introductions
Kit Boesch welcomed the MTI Leadership Group members. Members introduced themselves and shared why they are passionate about addressing medical translation and interpretation issues in our community.
Project Overview
Lori Seibel gave an overview of the process that led to the convening of a Leadership Group to address medical translation and interpretation (MTI) issues.
The Blueprint Project, Urgent Matters, and the Health Care for the Homeless Project all identified a significant need in our community to address medical translation and interpretation issues. Ms. Seibel specifically discussed the focus groups that served as the basis for 12 MTI observations and the work sessions that resulted in eight action strategies.
Mission Statement
- McDowell presented a DRAFT Mission Statement:
To examine and enhance medical translation and interpretation (MTI)
services in Lincoln and Lancaster County through strategic leadership, innovation, collaboration, and advocacy.
Mr. McDowell asked members of the Leadership Group to carefully consider the mission statement and to provide feedback and potential revisions to him.
Eight Action Strategies
Mr. McDowell reviewed the eight action strategies/goals for the MTI Leadership Group to address in the next 36 months. Suggestions were offered by Leadership Group members:
• Helen Fagan suggested that, as part of the effort to increase policymaker and public awareness about MTI issues (Goal 4), we must be mindful that (with the exception of Native Americans) we are all immigrants. The awareness campaign must link our states history to current day immigration issues.
• Joan Anderson mentioned that Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel could benefit from the language identification card (Goal 5). Susie Prenger noted that LanguageLinc at Lincoln Action Program is developing a language identification card. It was suggested that we invite a staff member from LanguageLinc to attend the next meeting to give an update on the status of the identification card project.
• Ms. Prenger and Malcolm Miles emphasized the need to focus on training for interpreters and for medical personnel and human service organizations on how to use interpreters. Several members suggested that we might work to develop CEU training for office managers regarding the use of interpreters. All registered nurses (RN) need to have CEU training by October 31, 2006.
Structure of the MTI Leadership Group
The group indicated that they would like the Community Health Endowment and New Americans Task Force to continue convening the group and chairing the meetings.
Ms. Seibel asked the group to consider the MTI Leadership Groups staffing needs.
Ms. Creighton suggested adding a representative from the Lincoln Public Schools to the MTI Leadership Group.
Assignments for each member by next meeting:
Review the mission statement and provide feedback to T.J.
Think about staffing needs for the group. Does the MTI Leadership Group require a dedicated staff person? How do we fund a staff position?
Identify individuals who should be part of the Leadership Group and forward names to T.J.
Compile information about MTI efforts in Lincoln and elsewhere, including local, regional, and national projects, and forward the information to T.J. for dissemination to the Leadership Group.
The next MTI Leadership Group meeting is Tuesday, September 20, 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Saint Elizabeth Regional Medical Center, 555 South 70th Street, Lower Level Bonzell Room